The Novatel Global Modem USB730L is a Verizon USB cellular modem, released in July 2017.

It replaced the Novatel Global USB U620L, which was released in July 2015.

The updated model is very similar but the USB730L has a Cat 6 cellular modem (max theoretical speed of 300Mbps) while the U620L had a Cat 4 modem (max theoretical speed of 150Mbps).

This potential speed doubling is exciting - but a substantial performance advantage will only really show up under ideal network conditions.

But the future headroom as Verizon evolves its network is certainly nice to have.

Specifications

Model #: 730L (MC730)
# of Connected Devices: Single device via USB
Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://my.usb/ or http://192.168.1.1
Default Password: "admin"
USB Tethering Support: Yes
Supported Networks and Bands:
4G/LTE: 2, 3, 4, 5, 13
3G: HSPA+ 850/1900/2100MHz; EVDO
2G: GSM EDGE
LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: Yes, 2-band
MIMO Support: 2X2 internal
LTE Performance Category: Category 6
(Max Theoretical Speed: 300Mbps Down / 50Mbps Up)
Cellular Antenna Ports: Single unofficial "test port" - TS9 connector.
Other Ports: N/A
Wi-Fi Technology / Frequencies: N/A
Claimed Battery Life: N/A - no battery
Can Be Powered Without a Battery: Yes
Dimensions: 3.27'' x 1.38'' x 0.45'' / 2.08 oz
SIM Card Type: Nano
Retail Price: $249

News, Videos, & Status

Novatel sent us a review unit. Members can follow along with our testing here: Cellular Equipment Field Testing Results – Netgear Modems / USB730 (Late 2017)

Overall the unit works as advertised but a dedicated mobile hotspot device (Jetpack) will be more powerful, more useful and cheaper for the majority of users.

Unboxing Video & First Impressions

Here is our product unboxing video, and initial thoughts:

News Stories:

Potential Alternatives to Consider:

For other popular mobile hotspots on the market - here are our featured options:

Selecting Mobile Hotspots

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Purchasing Options

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The USB730L is available directly from Verizon and third-party sellers like Ebay and Amazon.

Further Reading & Research Cellular Mobile Hotspots (Jetpacks & MiFis)

The guides below have been hand-picked to help further your education about selecting mobile hotspots and best utilizing them in your mobile internet setup.